In the wake of Dale Earnhardt Jr. announcing a new sponsorship with eBay, appearing on his No. 88 Chevrolet for the NASCAR Nationwide Series June race at Michigan International Speedway, there is a lot to be said for authentic sponsorships within the sport of NASCAR in this day and age.
Having learned at the end of the 2013 NASCAR season that Earnhardt is an ardent eBay user, the recently announced partnership is without a doubt legitimate. It is not about a driver forcing a smile and promoting something he or she doesn’t believe in, it’s about selling a product or service that they have their own faith in as a consumer.
Though in a time where sponsorship is spread thin, money is tight and some teams are forced to stretch every last dollar, the ability to always be picky with sponsorships is not always there.
Which leads to the question, do fans actually care whether a sponsorship or partnership between driver and business is authentic?
Sponsorships and partnerships come in all forms. Whether it’s a product or service funding the race car, a charity placing their name on the car for large amounts of promotion, or simply a driver appearing to promote a company or cause, they all align a driver’s image with their brand identity.
Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been a magnet for the concept of brand identity. GoDaddy.com’s use of her in their television commercials put them on the map as well as boosted her recognition outside of the racing world. But does becoming one brand’s identity limit what other companies would choose to partner with her?
Another sponsorship that stands out as authentic is Bass Pro Shops, who sponsors drivers Tony Stewart, Austin Dillon, and Ty Dillon, all of whom are avid outdoorsmen. If their partnership was with someone outside of that fit, it could create a different reception from fans.
While the sport rarely sees completely off-the-wall sponsorships, many often do not make sense or do not seem to be a great fit for the driver or team. We have entered a time though, where the name on the car means nothing to many fans, it is simply the writer of the paycheck.
There is no telling whether having that authentic connection between driver and sponsor is necessary for positive fan reaction, but there is reason to believe these strong partnerships may end up standing better in the long run.
